WORDS & IMAGES: CLAUDE LAFRENIERE
The Gatineau Air Show, launched in 2017, has quickly become a Canadian aviation staple. Its inaugural event, featuring the Patrouille de France and the RCAF Snowbirds, set a high standard, and subsequent years saw the show grow, with the CF-18 Demo Team joining in 2018. By 2019, attendance reached 20,000, thanks to the F-35 fighter debut and a special appearance by astronaut Chris Hadfield, and attendence climbed even further in 2024.
This year’s edition of Aéro Gatineau-Ottawa was a landmark event of the 2024 airshow season. In honor of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 100th anniversary, the dedicated volunteers of Aéro Gatineau-Ottawa worked tirelessly over the past three years to achieve a North American exclusive uniting three iconic aerobatic teams: the RCAF Snowbirds, the USAF Thunderbirds and the RAF Red Arrows. Despite visits to North America by not one, but two, European jet teams this year, Gatineau was the only North American airshow to secure a triple header of military jet teams – and the first to do so since 2019, an incredibly rare event that drew a record 25,000 visitors.
The Gatineau Executive Airport offers an unmatched experience for Aéro Gatineau-Ottawa. Its compact layout brings spectators closer to the action, with planes parked just meters away from the spectators, allowing for a detailed view of the aircraft and pre-flight preparations. Despite a 6,000-foot runway accommodating everything from supersonic jets to military transports, hosting three major teams posed logistical challenges. Consequently, the USAF Thunderbirds stationed their seven F-16s (6 show planes and 1 spare) at Ottawa International Airport, 30km away.
The show began on the September 6 with another impressive feature: the first true night show to be held in Gatineau. After performances by the Snowbirds and CF-18 came the mesmerizing pyrotechnic display by Nathan Hammond of Ghostwriter Airshows in his DHC-1 Super Chipmunk. Although rain regrettably canceled the 130-drone light show synchronized to custom music, the evening concluded with a breathtaking fireworks display.
There were also changes to the ground experience this year. Partnering with local transit, the event offered free use of the regional bus network for ticket holders, encouraging eco-friendly travel. The airshow also revamped its general admission area, optimised to offer panoramic views and clear sightlines of the performances. Ticket prices started at $35 for adults, $30 for teens and $25 for children, with three-day passes and family packages available at discounted rates. Early Bird and Presale discounts added further value, making the event accessible to all. For photographers, a raised photo pit offered a premium experience for $149 per day, or $229 for the weekend (including the practice day). Positioned on an elevated platform just 15–20 meters from the taxiway, it provided an unobstructed view for capturing stunning, high-quality images.
Unfortunately, the Aéro Gatineau-Ottawa 2024 was significantly impacted by adverse weather conditions. Friday’s initial promise of clear skies quickly gave way to overcast conditions and heavy rain during the night show. Saturday proved to be even more challenging, with persistent downpours throughout the day. Despite the dismal weather, thousands of spectators remained hopeful. A brief respite in the late afternoon allowed the Red Arrows and Snowbirds to perform their flat and low shows respectively. To compensate for the disruptions, organizers offered Saturday ticket holders free admission on Sunday. The heavy rainfall turned the event grounds into a muddy mess, with water pooling in various areas, including the Photo-Pit, Flightline Club, and President’s Club. Visitors were advised to wear rain boots, and parking lots became impassable, forcing organizers to set up alternative parking and shuttle bus services.
The static display was smaller than previous years due to the space constraints imposed by having two military jet teams on the ground, but it still offered an impressive array of aircraft. The Vintage Wings Collection displayed a fleet of iconic aircraft from aviation’s golden age, including the Gipsy Moth, Tiger Moth, Chipmunk and Fleet Finch. Modern military assets included the CC-144 and CT-156 Harvard II. There was also a chance to see a CL-415 Superscooper, one of Top Aces’ Alpha Jet As and a rare civilian UH-60A Blackhawk.
The flying display kicked off with a breathtaking performance by the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force’s premier aerobatic team, for whom Gatineau was their only international appearance of the year. This was followed by the Victory Flight, performing formation and solo flybys with a Hurricane Mk.XII, Spitfire Mk.IX and Mustang Mk.IV.
Nolinor Aviation’s Boeing 737-2B6C(A) C-GTUK performed flyovers at the site on both Saturday and Sunday. This versatile combi aircraft has the ability to carry up to 119 passengers or transport cargo, and can land on a variety of surfaces, including dirt, gravel and ice runways. This was followed by Rick Volker in his SIAI-Marchetti F.260C. Volker pushed the aircraft to its limits, flying at up to 230 knots and 6G.
The prestigious Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, embarked on a five-week tour of Canada to mark the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force, dubbed ‘Maple Hawk’. The tour also celebrated the team’s 60th display season. Both anniversaries were marked during the display, when they draw the numbers ‘100’ and ‘60’ in the sky with their coloured smoke.
The Red Arrows also joined up with the CF-18 Demo Team’s CF-188A Hornet for a ten-ship formation called the Commonwealth Pass. The pass, complemented by red and white smoke, ended with a poignant missing man manoeuvre as the CF-18 suddenly ascended into a vertical climb in a moving tribute to fallen airmen. The CF-18 itself, and then the beloved Canadian national icon, the Snowbirds, concluded the show to celebrate the RCAF’s centennial with their own breathtaking performances.
Each of the three jet teams – Snowbirds, Thunderbirds and Red Arrows – brought their own unique blend of precision, agility and power. The Thunderbirds embodied speed and aggression, while the Red Arrows executed large formation manoeuvres and dramatic splits and crossovers with remarkable accuracy, and the Snowbirds performed a ballet in the sky, with a graceful and fluid performance that emphasizes harmony and elegance.
With a record 25,000-strong crowd, despite the weather, the event’s triple jet team billing seems to have been a hit, and the three-day format featuring both daytime and evening performances also proved a popular choice. The organizers’ ability to adapt to challenging circumstances after the rain on Friday and Saturday was no less impressive. This blend of thrilling performances and professional execution solidified Aero Gatineau-Ottawa’s reputation as a premier aviation event on the North American airshow circuit.